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fun of her, but she forced a smile. “So you'll do it."
    He shook his head. “Nope."
    "What do you mean? Why not?"
    A long sigh escaped his lips, like he was already tired of the conversation. “Let's just say that it's not in my nature."
    "What is that supposed to mean?"
    He shifted the cane in his lap and she noticed that what she had thought of as a greyhound appeared to have three silver heads. He scowled at her, like a teacher when you missed an obvious answer and he knew you hadn't done the reading. “You have to give me something to get something."
    "I've got forty bucks,” she said, biting her lip. “I don't want to do any sex stuff."
    "I am not entirely without sympathy.” He shrugged his thin shoulders. “How about this—I will wager my services against something of yours. If you can beat me at any contest of your choosing, your dog will be well and you'll owe me nothing."
    "Really? Any contest?” she asked.
    He held out his hand. “Shake on it and we've got a deal."
    His skin was warm and dry in her grip.
    "So, what it going to be?” he asked. “You play the fiddle? Or maybe you'd like to try your hand at jump rope?"
    She took a long look at him. He was slender and his clothes hung on him a bit, as though he'd been bigger when he'd bought them. He didn't look like a big eater. “An eating contest,” she said. “I'm wagering that I can eat more than you can."
    He laughed so hard she thought for a moment he was having a seizure. “That's a new one. Fine. I'm all appetite."
    His reaction made her nervous. “Wait—” she said. “You never told me what you wanted if I lost."
    "Just a little thing. You won't miss it.” He indicated the door of the bus with his cane. “Next stop is yours. I'll be by tomorrow. Don't worry about your dog for tonight."
    She stood. “First tell me what I'm going to lose."
    "You'll overreact,” he said, shaking his head.
    "I won't,” Nikki said, but she wasn't sure what she would do. What could he want? She'd said “no sex,” but he hadn't made any promises.
    The old guy held out his hands in a conciliatory gesture. “Your soul."
    "What? Why would you want that?"
    ” I'm a collector. I have to have the whole set—complete. All souls. They're going to look spectacular all lined up. There was a time when I was close, but then there were all these special releases and I got behind. And forget about having them mint-in-box. I have to settle for what I can get these days."
    "You're joking."
    "Maybe.” He looked out the window, as if considering all those missing souls. “Don't worry. It's like an appendix. You won't even miss it."
    * * * *
    Nikki walked home from the bus stop, her stomach churned as she thought over the bargain she'd made. Her soul. The devil. She had just made a bargain with the devil. Who else wanted to buy souls?
    She stomped into the trailer to see her mom on the couch, eating a piece of frozen pizza. Doug sat next to her, watching a car being rebuilt on television. Both of them looked tired.
    "Oh, honey,” her mother said. “I'm so sorry."
    Nikki sat down on the shag rug. “You didn't kill Boo, did you?"
    "The vet said that we could wait until tomorrow and see how he's doing, but he wasn't very encouraging.” Long fingers stroked Nikki's hair, but she refused to be soothed. “You have to think what would be best for the poor dog. You don't want him to suffer."
    Nikki jumped up and stalked over to the kitchen. “I don't want him to die!"
    "Go talk to your sister,” their mother said. Doug pushed himself up off the couch.
    "Show me how to train for an eating contest,” Nikki told him, when he tried to speak. “Show me right now."
    He shook his head. “You're seriously losing it."
    "Yeah,” she said. “But I need to win."
    * * * *
    The next morning, after her mother left for work, Nikki called herself out sick and started straightening up the place. After all, the devil was the most famous guest she'd ever had. She'd heard of him, and,